GET YOUR HEART CIRCUMCISED
Jeremiah 9:25,26 “The days are coming, “declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh - Egypt, Judah, Edm, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
We first see circumcision in Genesis 17. It says that when Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord God Almighty appeared before Abram and told him to walk before him and be blameless. If he would do this then God would increase his number greatly making him the father of many nations. God would also give Abram and his descendants the whole land of Canaan and he would be their God. Then God added that this would be an everlasting covenant. As a sign of this covenant God said that every male among him must be circumcised. This would include even those who were not his descendants such as those in his household or those he had bought. If any male was not circumcised they must be cut off from his people, because they have broken covenant with him.
Over the years this may have been forgotten or disregarded at times as we see that Moses’ sons were not circumcised, and later the Hebrew nation had to be circumcised before they could enter the promised land. In the case of Abram and his descendants circumcision was more than a physical procedure than it was a sign of a spiritual covenant. It was a handshake, stamp of a notary republic all wrapped up in one. Every time a male Hebrew urinated he would be reminded of his covenant with God and God with him. Unfortunately like with most things like this is that if the meaning of the reminder is not brought to remembrance even the reminder (circumcision) is forgotten. Then it takes the form of just a practice or ritual that has lost meaning and is somewhat worthless. This is where God saw the Hebrews of Jeremiah’s day. They had turned from worshiping the Lord to worshiping idols. Their circumcision didn’t mean anything. What was special now was only a sign of pain and not promise.
Very early in the Christian church circumcision became a major point of contention. Even though it had been done as far back as 1300 B.C. in Egypt and evidence of it in Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Australia and Columbus even found it being done in the Americas, there were still people in the middle East and other countries that didn’t practice circumcision. Many in the early Christian leadership wanted all Christians to practice Jewish laws and customs, and this certainly meant circumcision for all males. It became a point of contention for Paul and others because Christians are not forgiven and reconciled to God by the effort of man (circumcision), but rather by faith in the grace offered by God through the atonement of Jesus death on the cross. Paul even went so far as to say that a man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly meaning circumcision. By this he meant that circumcision had to mean something spiritually in a person's heart, and not just a cutting of the flesh. (Rom 2:28,29) It would be the same for the Christian that goes to church or is baptized, but really doesn’t love Jesus or live their life for him. Those things become only so many things to do, but have no effect on a person's heart or relationship with the Lord. Circumcision for Abarm and his descendants was a sign or seal of a covenant between Abram, his descendants and God. Christians would have the sign of baptism as their promise of covenant with God, but God would also have a sign or seal of his covenant with Christians in the form of the Holy Spirit. Baptism was a sign of water and represented the inward and spiritual grace offered by Jesus’ grace to bring about forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a sign and guarantee from God that represents a life changing condition in the heart.
In II Corinthians 1:21b,22 Paul tells the Corinthians that, “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” This is the good news that we have in Jesus. As Christians we have been forgiven of our past sins, forgiven of our present sins, and even forgiven of our future sins as we continue to trust in Jesus. And not only that but we have reconciliation with God the Heavenly Father, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and eternal life with them in heaven. Ephesians 1:13,14 says, “And you also were included in the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession - to praise of his glory.”
We also see in Romans chapters 7 & 8 how the Holy Spirit changes a Christian's heart. Where once the carnal nature was hostile towards God, the Holy Spirit comes into the Christian's heart to desire the will of God for their life. And where that carnal nature was unChrist-like, the Holy Spirit fills the Christian’s heart with Christ-like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. God brings about the change of a Christian’s heart that circumcision can not.
So how does a person experience this heart changing experience? It begins by asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and to become your Lord and Savior. Next you need to ask the Holy spirit to come into your heart to change you making you Christ-like. And even later on you can ask for the the Holy Spirit to empower you to serve Jesus if you want to do that. Remember James 4:2 reminds that we have not because we ask not. God will always respect our free will even after we become a Christians and go to heaven. It is that free will that makes our love with God possible, and allows our heart transformed as well.
Well, how do we know if this has happened? This is what we see with people that have become born again. Even non-Christians will see a change in the life and speech. With the change of our heart there will be an obvious change in our life. Through Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can have a real circumcised heart that only God can bring about.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, please come into our heart and have your will with us, making us, and shaping us into the likeness of Jesus. Circumcise our heart, making it a seal and guarantee that reflects our commitment and love for Jesus.
